


All Night

by alphatoothless



Category: Gravity Falls
Genre: Angst with a Happy Ending, Heartbreak, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-12-31
Updated: 2016-12-31
Packaged: 2018-09-13 15:35:18
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,820
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9130714
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/alphatoothless/pseuds/alphatoothless
Summary: Bill Cipher has always been patient with his boyfriend, even when he forgot about him for weeks on end. But even he eventually loses his patience, and Dipper quickly realized just how much he was willing to work to make the relationship last.





	

Dipper rolled his eyes when Bill stumbled into his car, giving him a sloppy grin as he shut the door behind him. People were dancing at the entrance, illuminated by neon signs and grasping half-filled beer bottles. 

"You're reckless."

"And you look incredibly handsome tonight."

Dipper turned the steering wheel, groaning when people drunkenly stumbled around his car. Bill giggled as he struggled to buckle his seat belt on. Dipper heard each of the misses, hearing the metal of the seatbelt hit the plastic of the lock. He reluctantly pulled off to the side when they reached a gas station, leaning over and clicking the seat belt shut. Bill smiled, leaning forward and kissing his cheek. 

"Don't."

"Aw, come on." 

Dipper let out a breath of annoyance as he pulled the car back out, glaring at a driver who sped past them. Bill hummed, turning the radio up a little louder. Dipper tapped his fingers against the top of the steering wheel as he stared at the red light. His eyes burned with how tired he was and he glanced at the clock that glared back at him. 

3:01 AM

He pressed his lips into a thin line as the light turned green. Bill danced lightly next to him, singing along to the radio in a drunkenly cheery mood. 

"Aw, Pine Tree, cheer up!" 

"Bill, you woke me up to come get you at three in the morning. It's my day off." 

"Exactly! I wanted you to finally spend time with me." Bill bumped his arm slightly. Dipper's eye twitched. 

"I spend time with you all the time."

"No, you don't! We haven't seen each other since the first of the month."

Was that right? Dipper squinted as read a passing street sign. Where even were they? Oh, turn right here. Dipper sniffled as they rounded the corner. Bill giggled, smelling of alcohol and a night he probably wouldn't remember in the morning. Dipper's mind went back to the question. Had it been that long? The last time they went on a date was when they went to see that one movie Bill had begged to go to. And that was...oh. That was almost two weeks ago. 

"Sorry." Dipper finally stated through gritted teeth. 

Bill only shrugged in response, though Dipper could tell it bothered him. Their relationship was on thin ice lately. Dipper was always working, spending long nights in the lab as Bill worked in another office. What exactly did his boyfriend even do again?Dipper clenched his jaw shut. Anxiety built in his stomach as they finally parked in a large garage by the side of Dipper's apartment. Bill loosened the tie around his neck and unbuttoned the top of his white dress shirt. Dipper opened the car door, frowning at the pajama pants that practically hung off him. Had he lost weight? He hadn't been eating a lot lately, had he? 

Bill stumbled out of his car, giggling as he held on to the side of the car. His blond hair was messy, like someone had ruffled his hair. The blond readjusted the eyepatch over his eye, forcing himself to straighten his posture. Dipper rubbed his eyes as he closed the car door and walked up to his boyfriend. The man was only a little taller than he was, his normally perfect appearance now sloppy as his shirt was untucked and his suit jacket was wrinkled against his arms. Bill looked at him with his one good eye, blue and filled with drunken enthusiasm. Dipper looked back at him, wondering exactly how he'd even fallen in love with the man. How had they even met, again? 

Oh right, in college, at a party when Dipper used to drink all night with him. Dipper groaned as his sneakers scuffed against the concrete floor when he began walking to the elevator. Bill stumbled alongside with him, giggling as he ended up leaning against the wall of the elevator. Dipper realized Bill never stopped smiling, even when he could barely walk. There were times where that smile faltered, looking crooked and twisted. But now it was warm and bubbly. He wondered how much the man had to drink. Why was he going out, anyway? 

The elevator beeped loudly when they reached the third floor and Dipper stepped out, crossing the open bridge to his apartment building. Bill followed, then stopped to look over the edge at the people below them. He chuckled at something Dipper didn't know about, watching two people make out in an alleyway on the street. Dipper followed Bill's gaze and frowned. When was the last time they had actually kissed again? Had they ever kissed? His mind felt foggy as he walked toward Bill and cleared his throat. Bill shifted his gaze to him and smirked. He followed the brown-haired man, focusing his attention on his steps as they finally stood in front of Dipper's door. 

Dipper's keys clanked against each other as he pulled them out of his pocket, forcing them into the keyhole and turning them. It took a few tries, because nothing Dipper owned ever easily worked, and finally the door opened. Dipper walked in, kicking off his shoes at the entranceway and stalking his way through the dark apartment. Bill forced himself to sit on the carpet, struggling to untie his shoes. He finally pulled the laces and forced the oxfords off, placing them next to Dipper's sneakers. They were worn compared to the oxfords, covered in stains and dirt from Dipper's hiking trips. Bill steadied himself against the wall as he stood, squinting for a moment when Dipper turned the hallway light on. 

"Did you drink any water at the club?"

"Nah." Bill waved his hand, looking around the apartment. This was what? Maybe his third time being in this apartment since Dipper had moved in a year ago? He yawned. Things had been shaky between them lately, not that he hadn't done his fair share of attempting to salvage whatever was left. As far as he was concerned, this would be the last time he'd ever see the man again. His drunken self really just wanted one more night with what he used to think was the love of his life. 

Dipper pulled out a cup and filled it with water from the sink. He held it toward the blond man and he accepted it. Bill gulped the liquid gratefully, then carefully placed the cup on the counter. Dipper rubbed his eyes and walked toward the bedroom. Bill followed, unbuttoning his shirt the rest of the way and sliding the bow tie off. He dropped them on the floor by the entrance of Dipper's room, following the man into the dimly lit room. Dipper flicked the light switch on, revealing posters that were scattered across the walls of the small room. Framed pictures of them together lined some of the walls in between the space posters and Bill ignored them to stare at the lean man in front of him. He could faintly hear cars roaring below the apartment building, with faint red neon lights from the tattoo parlor next door blinking through the closed window. Dipper pulled off his hoodie then curled into his bed. Bill followed, lifting the covers and curling up against Dipper. 

"I'm sorry I haven't been spending more time with you."

Bill hummed in response, kissing Dipper's cheeks and forehead. He loved the way his mind felt foggy when he took shots. Alcohol was the only thing that helped him get through the days of frustration and anger at being pushed aside day in and day out by his boyfriend. This wasn't the first time Dipper had forgotten about him, and he doubted it would be the last of it had he let this continue after tonight. He grinned as he snuggled into Dipper's neck. He loved how warm Dipper always was. Even since college when they both drunkenly stumbled into Bill's college apartment after a night of partying, he had always made a point to snuggle the shorter man. He ran his fingers through Dipper's curly hair. It was always so soft. He'd miss that a lot. 

Dipper sensed a change in Bill, but couldn't place it. He assumed it was just from the alcohol, though a part of him insisted that it was more. It felt like a final night, and he didn't like it. He looked up at the blond man who was staring at him lovingly. His insecurities faded when a blue eye met his brown ones, and he relaxed. Bill kissed him then, soft but full of something Dipper didn't understand. It was strangely gentle, yet held something to it that was almost bittersweet. He pulled away, anxiety building in his stomach as Bill began kissing down his neck. 

"Hey, Pine Tree?"

"Yeah?"

"I'll always love you." 

Dipper gave Bill a weird look but the blond only smiled back. He didn't understand what he was trying to say, but he decided he would deal with it later. He felt Bill wrap arms around him and snuggle against him. He relaxed against the warmth, closing his eyes. Bill kissed the back of his neck as hands slid up his shirt to massage his stomach. He didn't understand why he'd waited so long to see his boyfriend. Work had been really demanding lately, hadn't it? He needed to work on that. He didn't know what he would do without the blond, constantly forcing him to leave work behind and live the life he was given. Bill had made him take breaks, had taught him love and had made him feel warm. He'd felt lost without the man lately, and now he remembered exactly why he used to spend so much time with him. He was his sunshine, his warmth, his everything. But a part of him knew that if things continued the way they did, he'd lose Bill. He needed to change before it was too late. Bill's warm breath blew against the hairs on the back of his neck and he smiled. He could stay here forever. 

Bill finally settled himself, inhaling Dipper's warm scent for a final time. When Dipper had finally fallen into a deep sleep, he checked his watch. The sun had risen an hour ago and he sighed. He slowly forced himself off the bed, grabbing his shirt as he took a final glance at the man curled into the blankets. He reached into his pocket and forced out a wrinkled envelope. It smelled like beer. He placed it on Dipper's messy desk as he slowly crept out of the room. He took a final look around the apartment as his heart sank. He slipped his oxfords on and left the apartment, gently closing the door behind him for what he knew was the last time. 

Dipper woke an hour later, squinting against the sunlight that beamed through his window. He rubbed his eyes and sat up in his bed, quickly realizing Bill had long since left the bed. He looked to where Bill's clothes had rested in a rumpled mess and frowned when they were gone, too. The unsettled feeling in his gut rose as he noticed a rumbled envelope on his desk. He swung his legs over the side of his bed, standing and taking groggy steps toward the table. He lifted it, scrunching his nose at the faint smell. He opened it, pressing it against the desk to straighten some of the wrinkles. It was hand written, with some of the dark blue ink lightly smudged on the edges. 

Dipper scanned the document and felt his heart clench with every word. By the end of the document his heart was shattering, and he clenched his jaw. He read through it again, and again, and again. Each time his heart broke further, and further, until it became hard to breathe. He made stumbling steps to his phone, where no notifications from his boyfriend came. There was no "good morning" or some other quirky message he normally received from Bill. He quickly unlocked the phone and called the blond man. 

No response. 

Voicemail.

"Bill? What's the point of this letter? Are you really...is this real?" Dipper stifled a sob that threatened to come through. "I can change. I promise. I'll do better. Please, one more chance."

It ended. He hung up the phone and looked at the letter clenched in his hand again. Panic built in his chest. What were the signs that Bill was leaving last night? Did he seem unhappy last night? No. He was his normal loving self. 

He looked at his phone again. Nothing.

"Bill, call me." He texted the blond man. There was no response. Dipper felt his chest tighten. 

Hadn't this happened before, too? Once in college, when things were building up and Dipper accidentally missed a date with Bill. Bill had ignored him for a day but came back. Maybe that was it. But Dipper looked at the letter again. He knew this wasn't the same. 

"Bill, please." He texted again. Again, no response.

Dipper immediately called his sister. Mabel frowned when Dipper practically rambled over the phone, his throat tight as he forced tears down. He explained the entire night, and the letter reading it verbatim, and Bill's sudden disappearance that morning.

"Dipper, just give him some time. Maybe he'll change his mind. You guys always make it work."

"I think this is different, Mabel." Dipper clutched his hair.

"Then go talk to him. You know where he lives, don't you?"

Dipper clenched his jaw. Had he actually ever been to Bill's new apartment? He heard a sigh from the other end.

"You've never been to his apartment?"

"I...no."

"What about work? You could go visit him on his lunch break."

Dipper remained silent again.

"Dipper, you can't be serious."

"I...I really fucked up Mabel." 

He heard Mabel shuffle on the other end.

"Give me a second, I can ask Pacifica."

Dipper clenched his eyes shut. What had he been doing all this time since graduation? He worked for Ford, and he worked hard, but he hadn't done anything else otherwise. He came home and slept, only to wake up again and go straight to work. What was the last date he had before the movie date two weeks ago? He couldn't remember. 

"Okay, she said his apartment isn't too far from your apartment. Have you tried calling him?" 

"Yeah, but he didn't answer."

"Call him again. If he doesn't answer call me back." 

Dipper hung up the phone and called Bill again. It rang a few times, and for a moment Dipper thought Bill had picked up before it went to voicemail. He clenched his jaw. 

"Bill, please answer." Dipper tried not to sound as ragged as he felt. "I'm sorry. I'm really sorry. It's all my fault. But please, just...just give me another chance. I can't lose you." 

He waited a minute before calling Mabel again.

"No response?"

"No."

"Let me call him. Maybe he's asleep."

Dipper sat on his bed, clenching the sheets in his hands as he waited. He stared at the clock, watching it change slowly as his heart felt tight. He wiped his tears on his arm as he waited impatiently. Eventually, his phone vibrated and he picked it up. 

"Okay, I talked to him."

"He answered you?" A shooting pain shot through his chest.

"Yeah. It...it's definitely serious. I don't know how you can recover this time, bro-bro." Mabel sounded sympathetic. That was never a good sign. 

"What do I do?"

"He said he'll meet with you in an hour. At the coffee shop that he said you would know." 

Dipper felt himself relax slightly.

"Thank you, Mabel."

"Don't...get your hopes up, Dipper. Okay?"

"What do you mean?" Dipper's eyebrows furrowed as he strained his ears. 

"I mean...just listen to what he has to say. He has some things to tell you and I don't know what they are but...just listen. I don't know if you should..." He heard Mabel clear her throat. "Just call me after, okay?"

Dipper had cleaned himself up. He'd worn nice clothes, he'd brushed his hair nicely. When he walked to the coffee shop he'd picked up flowers on the way there. He rehearsed what he'd say. When he finally rounded the corner, Bill was sitting outside. He forced a smile, taking a seat across the table and placing the flowers down. Bill looked at them wearily before turning back to Dipper. 

"Good morning."

"Good morning to you." Dipper could feel how forced the smile was. He felt his heart clench.

"We need to talk."

Dipper adjusted himself on the chair and looked at Bill. The blond had showered and changed clothes. He was incredibly handsome. He'd always been handsome, since the day Dipper had met him. He remembered how ecstatic he was when the blond had asked him out. 

"I love you." Bill started. "And I always will. But I don't think we can keep doing this." 

"I'll change." Dipper blurted out.

Bill only gave him a weary smile.

"I know." 

Dipper felt anger build in his gut. 

"I really will. Just give me the chance." 

"There's been a lot of chances, Dipper." 

Dipper opened his mouth to say something before a waitress came up to them. Her smile lingered a little too long with Bill, and it made Dipper even angrier. After getting their orders, she turned and left. Bill sighed. 

"We've been together for four years."

"Almost five." Dipper added. He felt sick. 

"Almost five, yes." Bill studied the table. "And we aren't what we used to be."

"I'll talk to Ford. I can take more time off." 

"You shouldn't have to take time off." Bill leaned back against the chair. "You didn't even know how long it'd been since we'd last seen each other."

Dipper clenched his jaw. 

"I don't think you would have even remembered me if I hadn't called you last night." 

"So what was last night then? You trying to get the last goodbye before finally leaving?" Dipper bit, watching Bill frown further. His heart cracked. "It was your last goodbye, wasn't it?"

"I'm not going to hold you back anymore. You're going to do great things with Ford. You already do great things." Bill gave a gentle smile. 

"You don't hold me back. I need you." Was it always this hard to breathe? "You help me do great things." 

Bill only smiled softly in response. Dipper read it as pity. 

"Bill, one more chance. That's all I'm asking. One more." 

Bill ran his hand through his hair and sighed. 

"You won't even give me another shot?"

"Remember that time when I had to visit you at the lab?"

Dipper pressed his lips in a hard line. Bill had brought him coffee, placing it gently on his desk as he smiled at him warmly. It'd been weeks since he'd seen the man, and Bill only smiled patiently at him as he finished what he was writing. Bill had kissed his forehead and told him to call him when he was done for the day. He remembered realizing how long it had been since they'd been on a date, and he's made reservations for a nice dinner. It went well, and that night was passionate, but it only lasted a week before Ford had thrust him into another project. And, yet again, Dipper had accidentally ignored his boyfriend for another week. 

Bill watched Dipper look down at the table in shame. This wasn't how he was hoping this would go. He didn't want to hurt Dipper further than he was already. 

"You're going to accomplish great things, Dipper. I know it. You and Ford, you both are on the verge of a Nobel Prize."

"It won't mean anything without you." Dipper felt his eyes water. 

"You're going to be okay without me."

"No I won't." Dipper turned his face away when the waitress came back with their coffee. Bill thanked her as she walked away. Dipper turned back to stare at the steaming drink in front of him. Bill hated seeing Dipper like this, sinking further into himself. A part of him broke. He could try once more. For Pine Tree. 

"One more chance." 

Dipper snapped his head up to look at Bill. 

"Really?"

"Just one." Bill rubbed his eye before taking a sip of his coffee. 

"I promise you won't regret it."

Bill deflated and he gave Dipper a defeated smile. Dipper gently grabbed one of his hands, holding it tightly. 

"I love you, Bill."

"I love you, too." 

Dipper felt his phone vibrate and he glanced down to see Ford was calling him. He looked up to see Bill looking at his phone as well and he forced it back into his pocket. No, today was his day off. He squeezed Bill's hand. He wasn't going to let his life pass him by anymore. Dipper lifted Bill's hand and kissed it gently. His phone vibrated several times and he ignored each one. 

They stood after they finished their coffee, and Dipper held Bill's hand as they walked. Dipper would lean forward and peck Bill's cheek every once in a while, would slip his hand from Bill's to around the blond man's waist. Eventually the strained smile from Bill turned into a genuinely warm one. They ended up in the park, with them sitting side by side on the empty swings. Dipper held Bill's hand, giving him warm smiles and steady jokes to keep the mood light. He needed to ensure Bill was happy, would stay. 

"So, tomorrow?"

Bill turned to him with a curious look.

"I was thinking we could go see a movie tomorrow." Dipper smiled.

"Oh yeah? Lemme guess, that new space movie?" Bill teased.

The air between them was still tense, still forced, but it was slowly fading. Dipper knew things would work out. He just needed to find balance. He'd talk to Ford later. He was supposed to have tomorrow off, too. He already planned on spending the entirety of it with Bill. 

"And tonight I can take you out to a nice dinner. Would you like that?"

"You don't have to do all this."

"I want to make up for all the dates I've missed with you." Dipper stood up from the swing, grabbing the chains of Bill's. He leaned forward and kissed Bill, putting as many of his emotions into the kiss. He wanted Bill to know just how much he loved him, how much he absolutely needed him. Bill hummed in response, returning the kiss with just as much passion. Dipper relaxed. Things would be okay this time. He'd make sure of it. 

He pulled back to rest his forehead against Bill's. 

He would do everything to make this work.

**Author's Note:**

> Music that inspired this fic: "All Night" by Chance the Rapper


End file.
